Pin-type fastener



April 16, 1963 G. A. MORRIS ETAL PIN-TYPE FASTENER Filed Oct. 14, 1960 m z w M A a R m 6 CHARLES W S'AMVDERJ' INVE WURS By W4 ATTORNEY itd rates This invention relates to a pin-type fastener, and more particularly in the illustrated embodiment refers primarily to a novel and advantageous safety pin.

An object of our invention is to provide a novel pintype fastener.

A more specific object is to provide a novel safety pin which may be easily unclasped by an adult or older child, but which cannot be unclasped by an infant.

A further and specific object of our invention is to provide a novel safety pin which returns automatically to a retracted safe condition upon release of the unclasping pressure, and which will be thus very safe in use.

Another object is to provide a safety pin which is easily and conveniently operable by using only one hand, leaving the other hand free to hold the garments in place for pinning.

Still another object of our invention is to provide a novel safety pin or clasp which will be attractive and thus permit it to be used on outer garments with a decorative effect and with no reasonable loss of aesthetic appearance because of a functional safety pin effect.

A further object is to provide a safety pin or clasp which attains these and other objects and yet is economical of manufacture.

In carrying out our invention in an illustrative embodiment, we provide a circular ring, desirably of plastic, and the ring carries a metallic pin diametrically disposed across the ring and latched in the general plane of the ring. To unlatch the pin, the user must apply an inward force on the ring in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the pin, such force springing the ring into an ellipselike shape in which the ring diameter is lengthened in the direction of the axis of the pin, releasing the latch, and permitting the user to push the pin out of the plane of the ring and thread the pinthrough garments as-desired.

Thus high safety is effected, for the steps of ring-bowing and pin-pushing must be done, and done in that order, to unlatch the pin; and accordingly the pin is extremely safe for use on infants garments and diapers.

The description so far given is introductory and is rather general; and the foregoing and further and more particular objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will further appear in the following, more detailed description, reference being had to the accompanying somewhat diagrammatic drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sketch of a baby whose diapers are pinned by a safety pin of our invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view of such a pin, in closed condition;

FIGURE 3 is a view illustrating a personunlatchin the pin thereof; I i

FIGURE 4 is an axial cross-sectional view of such a safety pin;

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal cross section of the safety pin of FIGURE 4, in fully latched position;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5, but illustrating the safe condition of the pin even though the user did not latch it properly; and

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view of a ring-member of a somewhat modified form, being flatter than the ring-member of the first embodiment, and having all corner-edges smoothly rounded;

atent FIGURE 8 is a pictorial view of a ring-member of another embodiment of the invention.

In the embodiment as illustrated in the drawings, a safety pin 10 according to our invention generally comprises a body-member formed in a general ring-like shape such as a ring 11, which carries a pin 12 diametrically extending across the ring.

The ring 11 is formed of a resilient material, desirably colorful plastic, as by molding, or as an extruded strip which is cut to the circumferential length and glued or otherwise joined to provide the ring shape.

The material of the 'ring 11 shown has a generally U-shaped cross-section (see FIG. 5) providing an inwardly-facing circumferentially-extending groove 14 which is used in retaining the pin 12 as will now be described.

The pin 12 is shown as being an integral extension of a metallic band 16, which is not circumferentially continuous but is of a diameter at least as great as the diameter of the outer wall of the ring-groove 14; thus with the band .16 sprung radially inwardly suflicient to permit the band to be positioned in the plane of the groove 14, then released, the band 16 snaps into a retained position in groove 14 to maintain the pin 12 and ring 11 assembled.

Advantages of the band 16 integrally carrying the pin 12 include economy of production, a controlled path of pin-travel, and, as will be later more fully described, the construction permits an initial pin-closing bias to be economically imparted to the pin 12 to keep the pin in a safe condition automatically.

The pin -12 is desirably bent out of the plane of the band 1 6 and ring 11 to a shallow V-shape (FIG. 5) to permit more convenient insertion thereof through garments. The apex of the V points toward the direction of opening of the pin.

Pin 12 is also formed to have an initial loading which urges it toward and past closed position, for safety of operation yet to be described.

The band 16 is shown as desirably formed with an inwardly-extending bight18 in the region of the point of the pin 12. This bight (FIG. 3) is of sufficient inward 1 defines groove 14 latching pin 12 against forward movement, and the rearward ring-groove wall 22 and/ or bight 18 blocking the pin against rearward movement.

In use (see FIG. 3) the user applies a radially-inward force on the ring 11, in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the pin 1-2. This elongates the effective diameter of the ring, in the direction of the pin, releasing the point of the pin from the forward ring-wall 20, and the user may then push the pin 12 to open position for use, that is leftwardly in FIGURE 5.

Pinning is conveniently accomplished as a one-hand operation.

Movement of the pin 12 is permitted by some resilient deformation of the pin itself and by resilient torsional deformation of the bank 16 which carries the pin.

Advantageous safety features of the pin 10 will now be described.

In properly and normally using the safety-pin 10, the user will release the pin 12 before releasing his ringbowing force on the ring 11. Thus the pin .12 will spring back as far as permitted by the bight 18 (FIG. 3); and upon subsequent release of the ring 11, the pin .12 will be guided into the fully latched position shown in FIG- URE 5.

of FIGURE 5.

Further safety is achieved by the fact that even if the ring 11 is bowed as in FIGURE 3 to unlatch the pin 12, the pin .12 does not spring open, but remains in its retracted-although-unlatched position of FIGURE 3 until force is imparted specifically to the pin 12. Thus, high safety is accomplished by the requirement that to open the pin the steps of ring-bowing and pin-pushing must both be effected, and they must be done in that order.

And although these steps are very easy and convenient, they require an intelligent operation more than an infant could effect; and thus the safety pin according to the present invention is very safe for use on infants garments, particularly diapers.

Further, the components are of such a nature and character that it requires more force than an infant could apply and direct, to accomplish the ring-bowing and pinpushing steps.

Still further safety is achieved by the invention; for although it is light in weight and non-bulky, the circular nature of ring 11 provides that a safety pin of our invention would be too large to be swallowed by an infant.

The embodiment of FIGURE 8 illustrates a modification where a modified ring 11a is formed to provide an integral tab 26 to perform the blocking function of the bight 118 of the other illustrated embodiment, and to illustrate a notch 28 to accommodate the outwardly-directed base-portion of the associated pin.

-It is thus seen that the present invention provides a fastener having several desirable advantages: high safety, decorative effect although quite functional, novelty, convenience of use, and economy.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of novel concepts of our invention; accordingly our invention is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown.

We claim as our invention:

1. A device of the type described, comprising, a resilient ring, the material of the ring being formed generally U-shaped in cross-section to provide an inwardlyfacing circumferentially-extending groove, a resilient band carried in the groove, the band being of a diameter at least as large as outer wall of the ring-groove to provide that the band will be retained in the ring-groove but the band being non-circumferentially-continuous to permit it to be resiliently sprung inwardly past a wall of the groove to effect its seating in the groove, a pin, the pin being integrally formed as an extension of said band and extending into the said ring-groove, the ring being resiliently deformable by a forced decrease in its effective diameter measured perpendicular to the axis of the pin thereby to increase its effective diameter in the direction of the axis of the pin to withdraw the point of the pin relatively from the ring-groove and thus unlatch the pin, the band being provided with an inwardly-extending bight 4 in the region of the point of the pin to block against movement of the pin in one direction out of the plane of the ring even though the pin has been unlatched as above described, an initial loading being applied to the band and pin to bias the pin toward blocked position.

2. A device of the type described, comprising, a resilient ring, the material of the ring being for-med generally U-shaped in cross-section to provide an inwardlyfacing circumferentially-extending groove, a resilient band carried in the groove, the band being of a diameter at least as large as the outer wall of the ring-groove to provide that the band will be retained in the ring-groove but the band being non-circumferentially-continuous to permit it to be resiliently sprung inwardly past a Wall of the groove to effect its seating in the groove, a pin, the pin being integrally formed as an extension of said band and directed diametrically across said ring and extending into the said ring-groove, the ring being resiliently deformable by a forced decrease in its effective "diameter measured perpendicular to the axis of the pin thereby to increase its effective diameter in the direction .of the axis of the pin to withdraw the point of the pin relatively from the ring-groove and thus unlatch the pin, the ring carrying blocking means in the region of the point -of the pin to block against movement of the pin in one direction out of the plane of the ring even though the pin has been unlatched as above described, an initial loading being applied to the band and pin to bias the 'pin toward blocked position.

3. A device of the type described, comprising, a resilient ring, the material of the ring being formed to provide an inwardly-facing groove, a resilient band carried in the groove, the band being of a diameter at least as large as the outer wall of the ring-groove to provide that the band will be retained in the ring-groove but the band being non-circumferentially-continuous to permit it to be resiliently'sprung inwardly past a wall of the groove to effect its seating in the groove, a pin, the pin being integrally formed as an extension of said band and directed diametrically across said ring and extending into the said ring-groove, the ring begin resiliently deformable by a forced decrease in its effective diameter measured perpendicular to the axis of the pin thereby to increase its effective diameter in the direction of the axis of the pin to withdraw the point of the pin relatively from the ring-groove and thus unlatch the pin, the ring carrying blocking means in the region of the point of the pin to block against movement of the pin in one direction out of the plane of the ring even though the pin has been unlatched as above described, an initial loading being applied to the band and pin to bias the pin toward blocked position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 654,297 Whitehead July 24, 1900' 654,513 Brooks July 24, 1900 1,086,997 Collins Feb. 10, 1914 1,127,669 Nygaard Feb. 9, 1915 1,258,131 McKenny Mar. 5, 1918 2,093,630 Bowker Sept. 21, 1937 2,292,687 Ford Aug. 11, 1942 2,308,336 Mason Ian. 12, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 297,792 Germany May 22, 1917 

1. A DEVICE OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED, COMPRISING, A RESILIENT RING, THE MATERIAL OF THE RING BEING FORMED GENERALLY U-SHAPED IN CROSS-SECTION TO PROVIDE AN INWARDLYFACING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY-EXTENDING GROOVE, A RESILIENT BAND CARRIED IN THE GROOVE, THE BAND BEING OF A DIAMETER AT LEAST AS LARGE AS OUTER WALL OF THE RING-GROOVE TO PROVIDE THAT THE BAND WILL BE RETAINED IN THE RING-GROOVE BUT THE BAND BEING NON-CIRCUMFERENTIALLY-CONTINUOUS TO PERMIT IT TO BE RESILIENTLY SPRUNG INWARDLY PAST A WALL OF THE GROOVE TO EFFECT ITS SEATING IN THE GROOVE; A PIN, THE PIN BEING INTEGRALLY FORMED AS AN EXTENSION OF SAID BAND AND EXTENDING INTO THE SAID RING-GROOVE, THE RING BEING RESILIENTLY DEFORMABLE BY A FORCED DECREASE IN ITS EFFECTIVE DIAMETER MEASURED PERPENDICULAR TO THE AXIS OF THE PIN THEREBY TO INCREASE ITS EFFECTIVE DIAMETER IN THE DIRECTION OF THE AXIS OF THE PIN TO WITHDRAW THE POINT OF THE PIN RELATIVELY FROM THE RING-GROOVE AND THUS UNLATCH THE PIN, THE BAND BEING PROVIDED WITH AN INWARDLY-EXTENDING BIGHT IN THE REGION OF THE POINT OF THE PIN TO BLOCK AGAINST MOVEMENT OF THE PIN IN ONE DIRECTION OUT OF THE PLANE OF THE RING EVEN THOUGH THE PIN HAS BEEN UNLATCHED AS ABOVE DESCRIBED, AN INITIAL LOADING BEING APPLIED TO THE BAND AND PIN TO BIAS THE PIN TOWARD BLOCKED POSITION. 